Drum pedal apparatus



July 20, 1948. F. .1. LA LONDE DRUM PEDAL APPARATUS Filed April 4, 1945IN V EN TOR.

' Fitzierich 17.1 aZorzcZe Patented July 20, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE DRUM PEDAL APPARATUS Frederick J. La Londe, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application April 4, 1945, Serial No. 586,598

14 Claims. (Cl. 84-422) 1 This invention relates to means for actuatinga drumstick for beating a drum, and is applicable particularly to a typeof drum in which the side of the drum rests on, or near, the floor withthe drum head in a substantially vertical plane. In

orchestras, drums of this type are beaten usually practice to provide aframe supported on the floor, and which supports the beater so that itcan swing toward and from the drum head.

One'of the objects of this invention is to provide means for mountingand supporting the beater in such a way as to avoid the necessity forproviding the usual supporting frame for it, referred to above.

In the construction usually employed for supporting a beater for thistype of drum, the beater is mounted to rock about an axis that islocated at a fixed level above the floor, regardless of the fact thatthe beater may be employed to beat a drum of a small diameter, or alarge diameter. These drum diameters vary considerably, and at thepresent time include sizes of 24 in., 26 in., 28 in., and 30 in.diameters.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a pedal constructionand actuating apparatus for the beater so constructed as to enable it tobe attached directly to the drum head, and having details ofconstruction enabling it to adapt itself to different drum sizes, whilemaintaining the striking point of the ball or head of the beatersubstantially at the center of the drum head, Where it should be.

Another object of the invention is to provide a, construction of thistype with an improved mounting, and a more effective location for theresilient means or spring that returns the beater to its position ofrest after it has been in operation; also to provide a connectionbetween the pedal and the rocker that carries the beater, that willenable the pedal to be maintained at the same level and inclination,regardless of the level of the axis of the rotation of the beater withreference to the floor line, if the same has been altercd to adapt it toa certain size of drum.

The position of the axis of rotation of the beater with respect to theplane in which the drum head is located is also of some importance, andhence, one of the objects of this invention is to provide a pedalactuated mechanism of this type with means for regulating the locationof this axis with respect to the plane of, or position of, the drumhead.

Further objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel parts and combination of parts to bedescribed hereinafter, all of which contribute to produce an efficientdrum pedal construction.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is described in the followingspecification, while the broad scope of the invention is pointed out inthe appended claims.

In the drawing: 7

Figure 1 is an elevation showing the end of a drum and illustrating myapparatus applied to the same. Y I

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken about on the line 22 of Figure 1,and further illustrating the parts employed in practicing my invention.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view and is a section upon a large scale,taken about on the line 3-3 of Figure 4, and showing a portion of thecounter hoop; this view illustrates a side bracket or saddle bracket,together with the means associated with the same for regulating thelocation of the axis of rotation of the rocker with respect to the planein which the drumhead is located. This view also is indicated as asection on the line 33 of Figure 4.

Figure 4 is also a fragmentary view, and may be considered a frontelevation of the parts shown in Figure 3, but with the wing-nut removed.

Figure 5 is a section taken where the spring 2| passes through the guideopening 24 in the actuating arm 23 for the beater arm !5, andparticularly illustrating the means that I may employ for effecting anoperating connection between the return spring and the rocker.

Referring more particularly to the parts, and especially to Figures land2, l indicates a drum of the type referred to, which is illustrated assupported substantially at the floor line 2 on two rests 3 that arelocated on opposite sides, but, of course, it should be understood thatany means may be employed for this purpose. My apparatus is supported onthe drum end which, inthe present instance, is illustrated as includinga counter hoop 4 which projects at the side of the drum a considerabledistance beyond the drum head indicated diagrammatically by the line 5in Figure 2.

In practicing my invention I provide a transverse bar 6 that includes amiddle, body portion, or body So, and end extensions 6b. These endextensions are necessary where the invention is adapted for use ondifierent sizes of drums, and

. are also desirable in order to adapt the length of the completetransverse bar 6 to the level at which it is desired to locate it tosupport the beater at the proper height. The body portion 6a ispreferably of tubular form so that the sections 6b can telescope intothe bore of the body, and I provide means such as wing-type set-screws 1for clamping the sections 6b rigidly to the body.

Suitable means is providedfor supporting the end extensions 51) on thecounter hoop 4. In the present instance I prefer to employ two sidebrackets, or saddles 8 preferably constructed as shown in detail inFigures 3 and 4. These saddles are of channel form and if desired may beslightly curved to conform approximately to the curvature of the arc ofthe counter hoop. Of course, this curvature and the width of the throat9 between the side flanges of the saddles should be sufficient to enablethe saddle brackets to fit over counter hoops throughout the range ofsizes or diameters of drums encountered in practice.

Suitable means is provided for clamping these saddle brackets inposition, which may consist of two wing-type set-screws l mounted in theouter flanges of the saddles (see Figure 4).

At the middle of the body 6a of the transverse bar 6, I mount a rockerH, and the bearing carrying this rocker preferably includes an innersleeve l2, that is of a diameter to enable it to slide over and fitnicely to the outside diameter of the body Ea. The sleeve [2 is, ofcourse, the inner member of the bearing on which the rocker H rocks, andthis bearing is preferably constructed as a ball-bearing.

After the rocker has been slid into its proper position it may besecured in place by solder applied at the ends of the sleeve l2.

In this way the rocker is mounted for relative rotation with respect tothe bar body 6a that is held in a fixed position.

The beater arm I5 is carried by the rocker H and terminates at its outerend in a head or ball Hi to strike against the drum head 5. In Figure 2the position of rest for this ball i6 is indicated in dotted lines atI6a. I provide resilient means as a return spring to return the arm l5to its position of rest whenever the pressure upon the pedal I! isreleased, and I prefer to have this spring-means mounted so that it isadjustable. For this purpose I provide means for guiding two stems IS ina transverse direction on the body 5a, and toward or from the drum headand for this purpose I mount these stems in guide openings l9 drilleddiametrically through the body 5a; and I provide wing-type clampingstuds or set-screws for clamping these stems in any desired adjustedposition. By loosening the setscrews 1, the tubular body 6a may beadjustably rotated on the axis of the end bars 6b, and tightened upagain in a new position. In this way, the angular position of rest ofthe beater ball it, can be adjusted with relation to the drum head 5.

Supported on the ends of the stems I8 I provide spring-means extendingin the same general direction as the bar 6, and in the present instancethis spring-means consists of a coil spring 2|, the ends of which areattached at eyes 22 in the ends of the stems, and the middle portion ofthis spring engages the rocker in such a way as to resist to a certainextent the forward movement of the beater arm I5; and in the strikingposition of the beater, when the ball 16 is against the drum head 5 thisspring, of course, is most greatly extended and exerts its force toeffect a quick return of the beater arm. This is necessary particularlywhere the drummer is striking a succession of short stroke beats, on thedrum with small time intervals. But, of course, there is the usualrebound effect of the drum head that assists in this action.

In the present instance I provide the rocker I l with an actuating arm'23 that projects in a substantially radial direction toward the drumhead 5, and on the side of this arm I provide a guide opening 24 throughwhich the middle portion of the spring 2| extends. This guide opening 24is preferably reamed out at its ends to a considerably larger diameterthan its middle portion so that no pronounced dihedral angle or edge ispresented to the side of the spring. This is illustrated in Figure 5.

In order to enable the horizontal distance of the bar 6 from the planeof the drum head 5 to be adjusted as desired to position the axis ofrotation of the rocker I l as may be desired, and also to accommodatecounter hoops 4 that project to different distances from the plane ofthe drum head 5, I provide the outer side of each saddle 8 with meansfor securing the ends, or end extensions Bb in different adjustedpositions as may be desired. In order to accomplish this I prefer toprovide each saddle with an outwardly projecting threaded shank or stem25, and this stem receives an eye 26 formed on the end of the adjacentend extension 6b. In the present illustration the round body of the endextension 6b is formed into a flat ear or tip 21 in which the eye 26 isformed, and the inner, flat side of this car seats against a bank 28 ofwashers 29, or spacers. Any desired number of these washers may be putin place to locate the bar in the desired position; after which the endof the bar is clamped up tight against the bank of spacers by tighteningup on a wing-type clamping nut (see Figure 3).

Whenever this apparatus is applied to a drumhead, the bar 6 should belocated so that the ball 55 will strike its blow substantially at thecenter of the drumhead 5. In order to enable this to be accomplished,and at the same time to enable the inclination of the pedal H to bemaintained substantially constant for different sizes of drums. I preferto employ an adjustable link 3! for connecting the end of the actuatingarm 23 to the pedal ll. For this purpose I prefer to slot the end of thearm 23 to receive the upper end of the link 3|. The upper portion ofthis link 3! has a tubular body 32, the upper end of which is flatteneddown into an ear or flat tongue 33 to fit into the socket formed in theend of the arm 23, a pivot pin 34 eing provided for securing these partstogether to form a knuckle joint.

The lower end of the body 32 of this link is threaded so as to receivethe threads of a threaded shank 35 that extends upwardly from the body36 of a hook 31. This hook is formed so that its bill 38 projects towardthe fulcrum or pivot 39 for the pedal I1, and its bight extends around ahorizontal pin 40 that extends across within a clearance socket 4|formed in the end of the pedal. In practice the hook is hooked onto thispin 49, after which a latch 42 pivoted at 43 is swung around and againstthe stop 44 to hold the hook in place on its pin. The threads 35 on theshank of the hook body 35 enable the length of this link 3| to beadjusted as desired. In this way the inclination of the pedal Il may bemaintained at any angle desired with reference to the horizontal floorline; and furthermore, whenever the drummer finds it desirable to changethe inclination of this pedal, this can be done merely by unhooking thepedal from the hook body 36, rotating the hook body in either directionas may be necessary, and then rehooking the pedal to it.

In addition to this, I prefer to mount the drum beater arm l5 adjustablyin the rocker II, and for this purpose I provide the rocker with anoutwardly extending arm 45, the outer end of which is provided with asocket or bore 46 that receives the inner end of the arm l5. This armcan be clamped in any adjusted position by means of a wing-typeset-screw 41.

Many other embodiments of this invention may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

I claim as my invention;

1. In a drum pedal construction, the combination of a transverselydisposed bar, means for supporting the same adjacent its ends on thedrum so that it extends across the drum head, a rocker mounted forrotation on the bar, a drum beater carried on said rocker, a pedal, andmeans for actuating the rocker by the pedal.

2. In a drum pedal construction, the combination of a transverselydisposed bar, a saddle located at each side supported on the drum end ata substantial height above the floor, and supporting said bar, a rockermounted for rotation on the bar as an axis, a drum beater carried by therocker at an intermediate point on the said bar, a pedal, meansconnecting the pedal with the rocker to swing the beater toward the drumhead, and a spring for returning the drum beater toward its position ofrest.

3. In a drum pedal construction, the combination of a transverselydisposed bar, a saddle located at each side supported on the drum end ata substantial height above the floor, and sup porting said bar, a rockermounted for rotation on the bar as an axis, a beater carried by therocker at an intermediate point on the said bar, a pedal, meansconnecting the pedal with the rocker to swing the beater toward the drumhead, a spring supported at its ends on the bar, extendinglongitudinally with the bar and engaging the rocker at an intermediatepoint on the spring, for returning the rocker and beater toward itsposition of rest.

4. In a drum pedal construction, the combination of a transverselydisposed bar, a rocker mounted to rock on the bar, a beater carried bythe rocker, a coil spring supported at its ends by the bar, extending inthe general direction as the bar and engaging the rocker at anintermediate point on the spring for returning the beater toward itsposition of rest, and an actuating pedal connected to the rocker.

5. In a drum pedal construction, the combination of a transverselydisposed bar, a rocker mounted to rock on the bar, a beater carried bythe rocker, spring-means supported by the bar, associated with therocker and extending from the rocker toward the ends of the bar, forreturning the beater toward its position of rest, and a pedal connectedto the rocker for actuating the same.

6. A pedal construction according to claim 5 including stems adjustablymounted on the bar and supporting the ends of the spring-meansrespectively.

'7. In a drum pedal construction, the combination of a transverselydisposed bar, a rocker mounted to rock on the bar, a beater carried bythe rocker, spring-means associated with the rocker and extending fromthe rocker toward the ends of the bar, for returning the beater towardits position of rest, a pedal connected to the rocker for actuating thesame, and means for supporting the ends of said bar on the drumend, andmeans for effecting adjustments of the rocker toward or from the drumhead, to alter its position of rest with respect to the drum head.

8. In a pedal actuated mechanism for a drum having a counter hoop, thecombination of a pair of side brackets having means for attaching thesame to the counter hoop at each side, a transverse bar having abar-extension at each end supported on said side brackets, a rockersupported at about the middle of said transverse bar, a beater carriedby the rocker, a floor pedal, and an adjustable link connecting thepedal to the rocker.

9. A pedal actuating mechanism according to claim 8 including means forattaching said bar extensions to said side brackets enabling thedistance of the bar from the drum head to be regulated.

10. In a pedal actuated mechanism for a drum, the combination of atransverse bar having a body and end extensions, saddle bracketssupported on the drum end at each side, each saddle bracket having athreaded shank extending outwardly therefrom, said end extensions eachhaving an eye at its end receiving one of said shanks, a plurality ofspacer washers on each shank between the end extension and the saddlebracket, and a wing-nut on each shank for clamping the end extensionagainst the spacer washers.

11. In a pedal actuated mechanism for a drum having a counter hoop, thecombination of a transversely disposed bar with means for supporting itsends on the counter hoop, a rocker mounted to rotate relatively to thebar at about the middle point thereof, a beater carried by the rocker, apedal connected with the rocker for actuating the same, a pair of stemsmounted on the bar and located respectively at each side of the rocker,and coil spring means attached to said stems and engaging said rockerfor returning the same to its position of rest.

12. In a pedal actuated mechanism for a drum having a counter hoop, thecombination of a transversely disposed bar with means for supporting itsends on the counter hoop, a rocker mounted to rotate relatively to thebar at about the middle point thereof, a beater carried by the rocker, apedal connected with the rocker for actuating the same, a pair of stemsguided transversely on said bar for adjustment, and located respectivelyon opposite sides of the rocker, and a coil spring with its endsattached to said stems and with its middle portion engaging said rockerfor returning the same to its position of rest.

13. A pedal actuated mechanism according to claim 12 in which the rockerhas a guide opening through which the middle portion of the spring runsfreely.

14. In a pedal actuated mechanism for a drum having a counter hoop, thecombination of a transversely disposed bar with means for supporting itsends on the counter hoop, a rocker mounted to rotate relatively to thebar at about the middle point thereof, a beater carried by the rocker, apedal connected with the rocker for actuating the same, said rockerhaving a bearing including an inner sleeve fixed to the bar, and areturn spring connected to the rocker for returning the same to itsposition of rest.

FREDERICK J. LA LONDE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date ,031,598 Tobias July 2, 19121,909,761 Greenieaf May 16, 1933

